Automatic coaling-station.



M. MILLER & T. s. LEAKE.

AUTOMATHZ COALING STATION,

APPUCAHON FILED APR- 2 19]1. 1,288,959. Patented Dec. 24, 1918.

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M. MiLLER & T. S. LEAKE. AUTOMATIC COALING STATION.

APPLICATION FILED APR, 27 19]?- 1,288,959. Patented Dec. 24,1918.

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M. MiLLER & T. S. LEAKE,

AUTOMATIC COMING STATION.

APPLICATION FILED APR, 27. 1914.

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Lgssfiw. Emma Dec. 24,1918.-

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M. MILLER & T. S. LEAKE.

AUTOMAHC COALING STATION.

APPLICATION men APR.27.' 1914.

Patented Dac. 24, 1918.

f; HIM I! HM M. MILLER & T. S. LEAKE.

AUTOMATIC COALING STATiON.

APPLICATION FILED APR, 27. I914.

Patented Dec. 24, 1918.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5- W ,6 A n Hillhnm I Cir MARSHALL MILLER AND THOMAS Fi s S. LEAKE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS;

AUTOMATIC COALING-STATION.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 24, 1918.

Application filed April 27, 1914. Serial No. 834,796.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that we, MARSHALL MiLLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, and THOMAS S. LEAKE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Coaling-Stations, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to coalingstations for locomotives, or the like, where it is desirable to elevate coal or other commodities to a position convenient for loading into locomotive tenders or other cars or conveyances.

Our invention comprises a continuously rotating element to which are pivotally attached reciprocating elements which actuate the elevating buckets. We utilize the period of substantial rest at the extremities of the movements of the reciprocating elements for loading the buckets and discharging them. The said periods of substantial rest occur at what are commonly known as the dead points where the reversal of movement of reciprocating member occurs which is actuated by a rotating member.

We find that this mechanical principle is exceptionally useful in the work to which we have applied it for numerous reasons, among which is the fact that the movement of the parts is entirely unaccompanied by shocks and severe stresses and strains com- 1 monl occurrin in the startin and sto ping f mechanisms of this class. Another fact in favor of this mechanism is that during the intermediate portion of the movement the speed may be quite high without danger. The acceleration and retardation of the movements of the buckets are both gradual and unaccompanied by shock. Our mechanism for this reason is automatic as the buckets come to their starting and stopping positions automatically without the attention of an operator.

Our invention has a very simple character and consists of a suitable motor, reducing gearing for giving a relatively low rotative speed of the rotating element above mentioned, reciprocating elements pivotally attached to said rotating element, multiplying gear such as ordinary pulley blocks attached to said reciprocating members, and cables leading to the buckets.

Other objects and advantages of our improved coaling station will be rendered apparent in the following specification, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and the novel elements and combinations thereof will be more particularly .set forth in the claims.

In the drawings Figure 1 is an elevation of a coaling sta tion with our improved elevating mechanism applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is an elevation at right angles to the view shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 8 is an elevation showing more in detail the essential parts of our improved mechanism.

Fig. 4 is a detail of one of the crank arms attached to the rotating element.

Fig. 5 is an elevation of certain parts of our mechanism as viewed in a direction at right angles to the view occurring in Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a sectional detail of the bucket loading mechanism.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view of the upper portion of said mechanism taken along the line 7, 7 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is an elevation of the bucket and a portion of said bucket loading mechanism.

Our invention comprises a heavy rotating gear wheel to which are rigidly attached the crank arms 16 and 17 oppositely disposed with relation to the axis of said gear wheel. Pivotally attached to the extremities of these crank arms are the reciprocating elements or connectingrods 18 and 19.

These rods carry at their upper ends themultiple sheaves 20 and 21 respectively which are in turn conne ted with sheaves 25 and 25 attached to fixed portions 27 of the framework bv suitable hangers 26. The cables 22 and 23 pass su cessively around the sheaves of the pulley blocks in the cus tomary manner and serve to greatly increase the movement produced by the connecting rods 18 and 19.

The cables extend from the said pulley blocks upwardly in the coaling station, as shown at 28 and 29, and pass over sheaves 30 and 31 in the upper part of the station and are led around over sheaves 33 and 34' and downwardly into the shafts or guideways in whi h the buckets travel as shown at 35 and 36. The said cables are finally attached to the buckets 37 and 38. In Fig. 2 one of the buckets is shown midway in its vertical travel at 39 and the extreme upper and lower positions are shown in dotted lines.

The buckets discharge their contents into a bin 40 from Which the coal is drawn off through a spout 41 to the locomotive tender on the track 42. The coal is received by the buckets from a hopper 43 beneath a track 44.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 6, the hopper 43 will be seen to open into a chute 45 leadingto a gate 46 which in turn opens into a measuring chamber 47. A second gate 48 controls the movement of the coal from said measuring chamber into the bucket The gate 46 has a vertical movement and is actuated by levers 49 which are pivotally connected to said gate the intermediate links 50. Said links provide for ebnnnunicating the angular movementfof said levers to the reciprocatin movement of said gate.

Th gate is attached to a horizontal bar 51 and is guided by 'theangle pieces 53 secured to the side walls of the chamber. The upper portion of the gate is guided by the edges of the slot 46 and the lower portion by said angle bars. Thelevers are pivotally mounted on bearings i The levers "49 of the gates, controlling the loading of one bucket, are connected to p w the CQIIGSPOIIClHIg levers controlling the gates leading 'tdthe other bucket by'a cable 54 passing over sheaves and 56 suitably supported upon the framewerk, as shown for ins'tance'in Figs. 1, 6' and 8. YVhen the gate leading to one bucketis open the other one is closed.

The gate 48 is pivotally attached to the framework at and is adapted to swing downwardly when v(1ischarging the contents of the chamber 47. The said gate provided with side wings 59, which have a position outside of the side walls of the measuring chamber 47 The said wings are provided with'weight members 58 0;- counterbalancing the weight of said gates 48. Tl'iese weight members are so proportioned as to retain the gates inclosed position due "to their angular relationto'them andto have little or no effect upon said gates when open. As seen in Fig. 6, the said weights 58 have a position directly above 'tfhepivotal point 60 when the gate is open wherein they have little or no eflect'upon the gate andthe weight of the gate itself causes it to remain in an open position; "When, however. the gate is closed the said weight '58 will h ve a ,positijol a 0 .6 id 9 the Pivot while the gate itself "wouldhave a position above the pivot wherebythe gate is quite securely held in its glo sed position.

' The gate is moved to closed position by the upper edge '61 of the bucket when it rises. A rod 62 has'a position below the Heights 58 and'is carried by arms 68 fixed to a shaft 64 mounted upon the frame meniber 65. Other arms 66 fixed to said shaft are struck by the cam members 67 on the bucket and serve to elevate the shaft or bar 62, whereby the gate is tilted toward its open position, the weight of the coal and gate completing the opening movement.

A movable bar 68 is given a position in the path of the bucket below the same, said bar being guided in a vertical direction by guideways 68. This bar. 68 is connected by means of tables 69 at its opposite ends to a bar 70 attached to the ends of the levers 49.

The cables 28 are attached at their extremities t the bucket carrying frames or cages 71 at the lower part of which are members 72 receiving the weight of the buckets. These members have guide lugs 73, which slide upon'ribs 0r guideways 75 secured to the vertical timber 76 of the structure. In the bottom of the pit in the pathof the bucketswe interpose supporting blocks 77, which intercept the buckets'a little-before they have reached the lowermost position of the travel of the frames or cages 71. Theinovement of the said cages'71 below the stopping points of the buckets is that which takes place during the period which the lower extremities of the connecting rods 18 and 19 are passing the dead centers in the rotary movement of the gear 15. i

' Inthe lower portion of the buckets we provide a guide pin 80 which'is adapted to slide in the vertical guideways 81'secured to the member 72. The upper extremities of the said guideways are'closed, as shown at 8%, whereby the bucket is prerented from leaving the cage when d scharging its contents into the bin at the u oer extrcmitv of its movement. A horizontal p rtion L 53? of the main bucket guide supports said bucket while in its discharging position.

The rollers 184 carried by said bucket upon this portion of the guide when dis charging. bticketl" The crank arms 16 and 17 are provided with adjustable blocks 86 which carry the pivot pin bywhich they are attached to the connecting rods 18 and 19. The blocks 86 are associated with other blocks'89 by which adjustments can be 1nade,-said blocks 89 be- "The upper giiidewa'v 8 5 tilts the 'ingmovable to positions either side of the block 86. Finer adjustments can be made by means of the set screws 88 which. are locked in position by nuts 90. The outer porti'ons'of the cra'nk'arms are provided with rectangular openings 91 in whichsaid blocks'are'fitted.

"The heavyigear 15 is supported by a shaft -nected by means of the inclined compression members 96 with the sheave support members 27. The tension produced in the connecting members 18 and 19 is thereby counteracted by the compression members 96.

The heavy gear 15 is driven by the pinion 98 fixed to the same shaft with a gear 97 which is in turn driven by a pinion 99 secured to a shaft upon which is also fixed a gear 100. The gear 100 is driven by pinion 101 which is fixed to a shaft upon which is also secured the driving pulley 102. A belt 103 leads from said pulley to a motor 104: in the power house 105.

In the operation of this mechanism it is necessary only to start the motor 10 1 when it proceeds automatically. The belt 103 and reducing gear described causes a slow rotation of the heavy gear 15, each semi-rotation thereof producing a complete movement of the buckets between the bottoms of the pits and the tops of the coaling station. \Vhile one of the buckets is rising the other is descending due to the fact that the connecting rods 18 and 19 are attached at opposite sides of said gear 15. During the period of rest at the bottom one of the buckets is receiving coal, while the other during a corresponding period of rest at the top is discharging its contents into the bin 40. The periods of rest at the top and bottom of the movements is ample for the purpose, but at the bottom we have provided the supporting blocks 77 for the buckets which permit the supporting member 72 to continue its movement downavardly to the turning. point and to return and pick up the bucket While ascending. It will be observed that the movement of all the parts of the elevating mechanism is continuous, but that the motion is so extremely slow at the turning points that there is ample time for the filling and discharge of the buckets.

The bucket in its downward movement strikes the bar 68 and through the mechanism previously described closes the gate &6 which prevents the movement of the coal into the measuring chamber 47, while the coal previously contained therein is discharging into the bucket 30. Simultaneously with the closing of the gate 46, the levers 66 are operated by the bucket to rotate the gate 48 about the pivot 60, thereby permitting the coal in said chamber 47 to flow into the bucket. I

The downward movement of said bucket causes the gate 46 in the other chute which opens into the second bucket to become opened by the cable 54: previously described. The chamber 47 corresponding to said second chute will thereby be filled ready for discharge into the second bucket when it has reached the bottom of its movement. The operations in filling said second bucket proceed in the same manner as in the first.

Itwill be seen that we have produced a mechanism Which automatically and very smoothly and silently elevates the coal from a pit to the bin with greater speed than the mechanisms now commonly used in which the buckets are started and stopped suddenly and which move at a uniform rate between the top and the bottom. \Vith our mechanism the speed throughout the intermediate portion of the movement may be quite high without dangerous or injurious efiects and the total time consumed in elevating by our mechanism will be much less than that heretofore attained. While the speed in the intermediate portion of the movement may be quite high, that at the ends may be very slow, and the gradual acceleration and retardation of the movement may take place with no shocks or severe stresses and strains. It will be observed that there is no clutch mechanism in our device and that all of the results are attained with simple and positively operating structures.

While we have described more or less precisely the details of construction, we do not wish to be understood as limiting ourselves thereto, as we contemplate changes in form and the proportion of parts and the substitution of equivalents as circumstances may suggest or render expedient without departing from the spirit of our invention.

We claim:

1. In a conveying mechanism, a bucket, a slidably mounted carriage upon'which said bucketis adapted to rest, means for imparting a reciprocating movement to said carriage, and means to permit continued movement of said carriage during the period of reversal thereoi" at one end of its path of travel while said bucket is at rest.

2. In a hoisting mechanism, a carriage, a guideway for said carriage, a bucket arranged to rest upon and be moved by said carriage, reciprocatory means for operating said carriage, and means for supporting said bucket at the lower limit of its travel while said carriage continues its movement, said carriage being adapted to rengagesaid bucket upon its return movement.

3. In a hoisting mechanism, a carriage, a guideway for said carriage, a bucket permanently connected to and arranged to rest upon said carriage, means for imparting a reciprocating movement to said carriage, and means for supporting said bucket at the lower limit of its travel while said carriage continues its movement and reverses its direction, said carriage being adapted to reengage said bucket upon its return movement.

a. In a hoisting mechanism, a carriage, a vertically extending guideway for said bucket having an angularly disposed part at its upper end, means for imparting a reciprocating movement to said carriage and a corresponding movement to said bucket carried thereby, said bucket having a part adapted to engage said guidevvayto cause a tilting thereof by the angular part of said guideway at the upper limit of travel of'the 'bucketysaid carriage having a sliding connection with said bucket to permit said tilting, and means to support said bucket in loading position at the lower limit of its travel, said sliding connection and said means for supporting said bucket being adapted t permit continued movement of said carriage and reversal of direction thereof while said bucket is in loading position.

5. In a hoisting mechanism, a bucket, supporting means for carrying said bucket, means for imparting a reciprocating movement to said supporting means, and means for effecting a permanent slidable connection between said supporting means and said bucket to permit continued movement of said supporting means while said bucket is at rest at one limit of its path of travel.

6. In a hoisting mechanism, an elevator, a charging chamber therefor, a pivoted gate controlling the outlet of said chamber, a weight connected to said gate and lying substantially over the pivot thereof when said gate is open and at one side of said pivot when said gate is closed, and a pivoted arm projecting at its opposite ends into the paths of movement of a part carried by said gate and said elevator respectively.

7. In a hoisting mechanism, an elevator, a charging chamber therefor, a pivoted gate controlling the outlet of said chamber, a Weight connected to said gate and lying sub stantially over the pivot thereof when said gate is open and at one side of said pivot when said gate is closed, and a pivoted arm projecting at its opposite ends into the paths of movement of a part carried by said gate and said elevator respectively, said arm proje'cting into the path of said elevator to such an extent that the movement of the elevator only imparts to the gate the first part of its opening movement the remainder thereof being completed by gravity.

8. Ina hoisting mechanism, an elevator, a charging chamber therefor, a pivoted gate controlling the outlet of said chamber, a Weight connected to said "gate and lying substantially over the pivot thereof when said gate is open and at one side of said pivot when said gate is closed, and a pivoted arm projecting at its opposite ends into thepaths of movement of a part carried by said gate and said elevator respectively, said arm projectinginto the path of said elevator to such an extent that the movement of the elevator only imparts to the gate the first part of its opening move ment the remainder thereof being completed by gravity, a part of said" gate in its open position overlying said elevatorwhereby the rising of said elevator starts the closing movement of said door, the remainder of said movement being efilected by gravity.

9. In a hoisting mechanism, an elevator, a fixed charging chamber therefor having an inclined bottom and an outlet opening, a pivoted gate for controlling said opening, said gate having a counterbalancing weight carried thereby for normally maintaining thesame in closed position, and a pivoted lever having its opposite ends projecting into the paths of movement of said elevator and said gate, respectively, said elevator'being adapted to move said lever sufficiently to move said weight above its pivotal axis after which the further opening movement of said gate is effected by gravity.

In testimony whereof, we have subscribed our names.

MARSHALL MILLER. THOMAS S. LEAKE, Witnesses:

WALTER A. Scorr, GLEN E. SMITH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the ()ommissioner of Patents.

1 Washington, D. G. 

